Young Hyatt (in white) equally matched with life, some time during his high school years.
Some years ago I learned a life lesson from my son’s wrestling. I had just moved off from being a high level administrator of a large organization and my heart was newly set toward painting. He, some time earlier, had moved from being on his high school football team to wrestling.
He went out for football in his freshman year. He worked very hard, putting in extra hours; but when the games came, he sat on the bench.
Remember, he was a freshman. For good reason the best and most experienced were in the game. Still, the boy had put in a lot of work just to sit and watch his team . . . lose.
And that, Hyatt thought, was in part because the upperclassmen weren’t really all that disciplined, being too cool for that.
Not that wrestling was an immediate success. In his whole first year he didn’t win one match.
In wrestling, your opponent is in your same weight class. In Hyatt’s case, these were almost always older, meaning more experienced, another thing that matters.
But, unlike with football, he competed at every meet!
Besides that, he knew the outcome was up to him, how much he worked between meets, etc. Okay, the opponent might be stronger or better, but he could still give it his all.
I’m limited on space or I’d elaborate on how he went on to win medal after medal, ultimately being the first to represent his school at State Championships.
But that’s not my point, rather that he chose an endeavor that was one-on-one and where he could personally affect the outcome.
. . .
Back to my story and how it corresponds.
My tenure in organizational leadership was one of the great periods of my life. I loved it. It stretched me in areas I didn’t know I had to be stretched in. Not that I was always successful. Life’s more complicated than that. Nor, like with the high school football players, was it always easy to get everyone to give it their best.
How that ended and my new career began is another story, but in time I found myself living a whole other kind of life. Instead of big projections and planning and rallying and encouraging and holding many meetings and speaking everywhere, I was in my studio, painting, by myself.
And I began to see the comparison between football and wrestling, one a team sport, the other individual . . . both having their place, both to love, but different.
In painting the opponent is also equally matched. It’s called the blank canvas. It challenges me to conquer it, or be defeated.
It’s up to me, and only up to me. Experience matters. So does effort, discipline, perseverance, good mental attitude and all the rest.
Besides that, one is always moving into a new weight class. As I grow, so does the challenge.
In wrestling and in painting and probably everything else, we’re matched up with life equally in our weight class. It’s one-on-one. And we rarely sit on the bench.
What are you wrestling today?
Our Lives Together
Its About Life
12:26 pm
Hyatt, Thank you for writing your perspective today! We are wrestling with the roles/work the Lord has for us as we head into our latter 50’s. Seems like the Lord is stirring us up but to what, we are unclear. There’s something that resonates in your words, “…I found myself living a whole other kind of life.” Hmmmm. To be continued! Hugs to you and Anne. Oh! And Welcome back to SoCal. =) We enjoyed your notes and photos from Spain.
1:48 pm
Funny that in painting (and everything else in life) it is yourself that you wrestle with the most. One on one…and definitely in the same weight class.
3:17 pm
Where this seems to hit our culture-base, Hyatt, is that the majority of those around us are spectators. Look at all the “spectator-sports,” the masses of movie-goers, and the handful of musicians that draw huge crowds of fans. Not to mention how typically we watch this or that on television, reality shows, etc. vicariously living through someone else. Always on the bench. I remind my piano students that they are unusual in that they are participants. They are musicians, carving their own unique paths in the world of expression without words. There are many who tout being appreciators of fine art, and that’s all OK. But then there are guys like yourself, and Anne, who are the artists. That took initiative and guts to step out and embrace the latent gifts God had bestowed. Each one of us has that unique, one-of-a-kind place where, I believe, we “feel God’s pleasure.”
3:44 pm
Dad, the blank canvas is certainly a different challenge, but I think a nice one to have; something you can put your heart into and know the outcome as well as better appreciate the efforts and struggles of others in the area. As a side note, I think that is a picture of me at a recent jiu jitsu tournament; glad to know I still look sooo young!
4:52 pm
Welcome back,
This one makes me think of a seasonal change, it’s just that in life these seasons can be quite lengthy.
9:42 pm
I’m wrestling with do I really believe that God will lead and guard and protect my children? Bottom line, it’s a matter of faith. Who’s my opponent? Satan, who lies, and myself, who doubts. When I work out for the battle, I do better. But I would still prefer it be all wrapped up with a nice bow.
12:02 pm
Thanks once again Hyatt for painting a canvas with your words. I must say I also enjoyed the comments from your your friends and family; also most enjoyable and thought provoking.
4:57 pm
Hi Hyatt,
Welcome back home from Spain.
I like this story you shared about one on one wrestling. Sometimes I feel like I am like Jacob, wrestling with God between my flesh and my sin nature (Romans ch 7) instead of just being one with His Spirit. God just wants to pin me and I know I should submit and surrender in my heart and spirit to Him. Often i am surrendered and that is when i experience His presence and feel His blessings and peace.
I know when a wrestler is on his back he is about to lose and be pinnied. But God cannot bless us until we are totally surrendered to him. That daily discipline, obedience, surrender, working out with Him, to allow our God to pin us so he can work through us….That is where I want to be. God on top and his hand slamming the mat! pinned! (Rom. Ch. 8 Victory!)
Thanks for stirring me up.
Jim